Thanks to the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), around 90 households in a small community within the town of Talugtug, Nueva Ecija, don’t have to worry any longer about getting access to safe and potable water.
Kalahi-CIDSS is a community-based program that engages local communities, local government units (LGUs), and other stakeholders in determining the people’s most important needs and coming up with the best solutions to meet those needs.
Kalahi-CIDSS Funds Water System Project in Talugtug, Nueva Ecija
Before the construction of a water system, life in Barangay Villa Rosario, Talugtug, Nueva Ecija, was very hard, indeed. People had to travel long distances, just to get water from deep well pumps and other sources. The situation gets especially harder during the dry season.
Daily Challenges Before the Water System
A resident of the barangay, Angelo Benedicto, recalls what their daily life was like before the introduction of the water system.
“Wala pong maayos na napagkukunan ng tubig. Nahihirapan po kami sa pag-igib. Tapos naranasan pa namin noong kami ay pumapasok sa eskwela na maagang gumising para lang po buhayin yung poso (There was no reliable source of water. Pumping for water was difficult. Also, before going to school, we had to wake up early to operate the deep well pump),” he said during an interview for “Mga Kwento ng Pag-Asa at Pagbabago” (Stories of Hope and Transformation) or KPAP, an online documentary of the DSWD.
“Kapag dumadating yung panahon ng summer, nawawalan po ng tubig yung poso na pinagkukunan namin ng tubig (When summer season arrives, the water in the well pump where we get our water dries up),” he added. So he was truly grateful when the water system project funded by Kalahi-CIDSS was implemented.
Another resident, community volunteer Anita Tacdol, shared her experience. “Kami po na nag-volunteer ng Kalahi-CIDSS, kami po ay nakakita ng problema na dapat tugunan dito sa aming barangay (We are volunteers of Kalahi-CIDSS, and we saw the problems in our barangay that required solutions),” she stated.
Anita explained: “Kulang po kami sa mga gamit na inuming tubig kasi yung mga poso po rito pag summer ay walang tubig. Tapos yung iba naman po, may tubig nga pero lasang kalawang naman at madumi yung tubig (We lacked potable water because during summer, the deep well pumps dry up. Some of the deep well pumps had water, but it was dirty and had a rusty taste).”
Providing Residents with Safe, Potable Water
In 2018, a water system was built, and the residents of Barangay Villa Rosario finally had access to clean, potable water. The project, made possible by Kalahi-CIDSS, instilled a sense of hope among the people in the community, as their quality of life had greatly improved.
“Sa mga nanunungkulan po sa Kalahi-CIDSS, maraming, maraming salamat po. Kung wala po yung Kalahi-CIDSS, marahil ay hirap pa rin po kami sa aming pamumuhay dahil sa problema namin sa poso (To the people of Kalahi-CIDSS, thank you very much. Without Kalahi-CIDSS, our lives would still be difficult because of our problem with water and our deep well pumps),” Angelo said.
By October 2019, the project was formally turned over to to the residents of Barangay Villa Rosario. The Level II Water System serves the people of Puroks Amianan, Bagatan, and Centro.
System Benefits Residents and Their Children
According to Angelo, the water system was a big help to the whole community, especially the children. “Noong dumating yung pagkakataon na makuha namin yung water system ay piniliat naming i-push para magkaroon kami ng pagkukunan ng malinis na tubig at hindi na kami mahihirapan sa pag-iigib (When the opportunity to have a water system came, we really aimed for the project to push through, so that we could have a source of clean water and we would not have to go far, to the deep well pump),” he said.
“Malaki na rin po and naitulong ng water system. Kapag kailangan namin ng tubig ay mayroon na agad. Lalo na po sa mga estudyante namin dahil hindi na nila kailangang gumising nang maaga (The water system has been a big help. Whenever we need water, we can get it right away. It also helps our students, because they do not have to wake up early to pump for water),” he explained.
Empowering the Women of the Community
Women empowerment is another positive outcome of the Kalahi-CIDSS program. Community volunteers like Anita are encouraged to participate actively in determining and solving the problems in the barangay. Through the program’s community-driven development (CDD) approach, women like her are empowered and enabled to make decisions and propose solutions that address the barangay’s needs.
Notably, the CDD approach is an internationally recognized strategy that had been proven to help alleviate poverty, promote effective delivery of services, and enhance good governance. Aside from enabling community members to identify and address their needs, this particular approach also motivates local government units (LGUs) and other stake holders to respond effectively.
Video: Documentary Features Water System Project
As mentioned earlier, the “Kwento ng Pag-asa at Pagbabago” (KPAP) is an online documentary series of the DSWD. It features a new story every Tuesday, 12:00 pm through the agency’s social media channels. Last November 5, 2024, it featured the water system project at Barangay Villa Rosario. Watch this video to learn more about how the project has been a huge help to the community:
Final Thoughts
Established and funded through the Kalahi-CIDSS program of the DSWD, the water system at Barangay Villa Rosario, Talugtug, Nueva Ecija is proof that the best solutions are those that are planned and designed by the people themselves. The barangay residents identified clean water as their most pressing need, and with the new water system, their daily lives had vastly improved.
Want to know more about the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) program of DSWD? Check out this article fore more details!